So I'm about a week late writing this blog but last time I wrote it the computer erased it so let's try it again.

So, on the 26th and 27th we were in Munich for Oktoberfest. We had a hostel two blocks away from the festivities and when we entered Oktoberfest, my first thoughts and verbalization was "this is my social hell". Jessie laughed, but I explained that carnivals, whose rides make me sick, and bijillions of candy booths, which are not good for me either, while surrounded by thousands of people, and the whole idea that you're supposed to drink constantly while you're there, did not initially appeal to me. But as you can tell, I'm still alive, and if you were able to see picture, Jessie has them all currently, you'd know that I did end up having a swell time.

We spent most all of day one wandering munich since our train got in at 7 am. Then we shopped around used clothing stores for the traditional drindl outfit or something for Jessie and supposedly me to wear to the festivities. Being the cynic that I am and not wanting to try on the outfits or pay the money, I bailed out of the outfit. Sorry Erin, I know you said I'd regret it, but I haven't yet so we'll see. :) As for Jessie, she looked fabulous and fit the part quite well.

We headed to the beer tent around 3:30 and saw some fun Australian girls we'd met on the train. We had our first liters next to some elderly Germans...I hope I will not be drinking when I'm that age, especially in the quanities. Anyway, we moved to a second tent, which was more raucous and wiggled our way through thousands of people standing on benches to tables until we found a little nook at a table with some Austrian guys.

They enabled us to sit with them and order our beers, and they knew some English, just enough for us to feel comfortable, but without having to really converse with them other than to say one two three cheers in german. It was good to have night one familiarize us with the music and the cheers and the decorum.

Around 8:30, Jessie had made it atop yet another table of guys and was dancing to some German national song when the security guards escorted her outside in the rain. I took our stuff and went looking for her, much to the dismay of the Austrians, and we headed back to the hostel. End night one.

Night two we were a little more prepared, went around 5 and took an Australian guy from the hostel with us. We headed to a notoriously rowdy tent and again found ourselves wiggling through hot bodies to a standing room table area and ordered some more beers. Let me tell you, we had bruises on our hands by the time we left from holding those heavy glass steins! Night two went a little longer, we made it till close around 11. We met a frat from Ithaca, some marathoners from Kansas City, why they were at Oktoberfest I don't know, and a bunch of cool Germans.

Like I said Jessie took all the photos so I don't have much to give in that area at the moment. Plus I'm sure there needs to be some editing! :) This photo is Austria because I don't have anything else to put there at the moment.